Subject: Curry Powder, make it?

From: [email-masked] (Richard Pering)
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 1994 18:15:58 GMT

Curry powder is a blend of several common spices.  Does anyone have a list of
what is in it and the quantity?  I know there are many types and almost
infinite variation.  I would like to use fresh ingredients and grind them
myself as is done in India.

Thanks, in advance,  Rick Pering ([email-masked]) Palo Alto, CA

---

From: [email-masked] (Stephen Bloch)
Date: 31 Jan 1994 20:51:04 -0500

>myself as is done in India.

Excellent idea!  The flavor and aroma of curry powder you've ground
yourself a few minutes ago may keep you from ever buying commercially
mixed curry powder again.

I've just gone through the entire "modern" half of my cookbook shelf, and
to my surprise found only one recipe for curry powder.  The following is
from my favorite vegetarian cookbook of all, Nava Atlas's _Vegetariana_
(which far too few people have heard of):

2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Spoon each of the spices into a spice jar and shake well to mix.

Personally [this is Steve Bloch again], I tend to omit the salt, and
often include ground fenugreek.

Whoa, stop the presses!  _Joy of Cooking_, of all things, has three recipes
for curry powder.  Here they are (quoted without permission from pp.
527-528 of a recent paperback printing):

I 1 oz. each ginger, coriander and cardamon
  1/4 oz. cayenne
  3 oz. turmeric

II 2 oz. each of the seeds of coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, black pepper
   2 1/2 oz. cumin seed
   1 1/5 oz. each poppy and cardamon seeds
   1/2 oz. mustard seed
   1/2 oz. dry ginger
   2 oz. dry chilis
   1 oz. cinnamon

III 1 oz. each turmeric, coriander and cumin
    1/2 oz. [sic] dry ginger and peppercorns
    1/4 oz. [sic] dried hot peppers and fennel seed
    1/8 oz. each mustard, poppy seeds, cloves and mace

-- 
					Stephen Bloch
				     [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Brad Owen)
Date: 1 Feb 1994 00:49:18 GMT

Richard Pering ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Curry powder is a blend of several common spices.  Does anyone have a list of
: what is in it and the quantity?  I know there are many types and almost
: infinite variation.  I would like to use fresh ingredients and grind them
: myself as is done in India.

: Thanks, in advance,  Rick Pering ([email-masked]) Palo Alto, CA

Currying is actually a cooking technique, like stewing. The spices one 
uses to produce a curried dish are sometimes called curry. There is no 
particular set of spices that make up a curry. Since you intend to use 
fresh ingredients--the best way to go for Indian cooking--you are better 
off just finding a good recipe and following it. If you pre-mix your 
ingredients they won't be as good as if you prepare only enough for a 
single dish.

I have a little book called _Indian Cookery_ by Dharamijt Singh that is 
quite good. Has lots of information on technique. It is a Penguin book 
ISBN 140461418. It is rather old so I don't know if it is still in print.

Here is a recipe I have tried for a vegetable curry that is quite good.

2 Tb ghee--clarified butter
1 chopped onion
4 garlic cloves chopped
14 oz. can plum tomato with liquid chopped
4 oz can mild chiles drained and chopped
1 ts grated ginger
1 ts salt
1 ts cumin
1 ts coriander
1 ts dry mustard
1/2 ts turmeric
1/2 ts nutmeg
1/2 ts cinnamon
2 potatoes peeled and diced
3 cup bite sized calulifower
2 large carrots chopped
3 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
2 cup string beans 1" pieces
1 cup yogurt

Use fresh, whole spices and grind them yourself. Mix together in a bowl. 
In a heavy pan heat butter and saute onion till translucent. Add garlic 
and continue frying onion till golden--don't burn. Add tomatoes, chiles, 
ginger, salt and spices. Bring to a simmer, then stir in potatoes, 
cauliflower and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 
minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in cilantro. Simmer for another 
20 minutes over low hear until vegetables are tender buty firm. There 
should just be enough liquid to form a sauce--add water if needed but do 
not make a soup. Steam string beans separately util just crisp-tender. 
Stir into vegetables. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, or serve 
yogurt separately. Serve hot. Enjoy!

....Brad

---

From: [email-masked] (Kathleen O'Bryan)
Date: 2 Feb 94 21:20:30 GMT

Any curry dish can have varying degrees of the various curry spices,
there is no one recipe...once you are familiar with the typical spices
used in curries you can mix & match, play around and see what fits the
particular recipe you are making...Kat